Fruit-gatherer



(No Model.) r J. K. WO ODWARD.

. FRUIT GATHERER. No. 517,786.

Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

W ligzsszs Ha? .27. flmer UTNOGRAFHING COMPANY HINGYO \Ri. NATIONAL WAS ' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. WooDwARD, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

FRUlT-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 517,786, datedApril 3,1894.

. Application filed November 8, 1893. Serial No. 190,375- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Beit known that 1, JOHN K. WOODWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented anew and useful Fruit-Gatherer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fruit-gatherers, the objects in view being to provide a cheap, simply constructed, and eas-. ily carried fruit gathering bag designed to receive the fruit without bruising, and which may be conveniently dumped into boxes, barrels, or other receptacles without removing the bag from the wearer.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: -Figure 1 -.is a perspective view of a fruit gatherer constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the same beingin the act of dumping its contents. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the bag.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the practice'of my invention Iconstruct a bag 1 of suitable length and preferably of canvas and have the top and bottom of the same open. The 'back wall of the bag near the lower end I provide with a stuffing or padding 2 of excelsior or other soft, material. The upper edge of the bag is sewed around a rectangular wire-frame 3, whose rear bar is a curved to conform to the shape of the wearer and whose front edge is outwardly curved so that the frame maintains the mouth of the bag open to receive the fruit as the same is plucked or picked. At each angle of the frame 3 eyes 4 are formed, and in each pair of eyes are engaged the ends of V-shaped bails 6, whose extremities are bent to engage the eyes in the usual manner. The upper ends of these bails are given a half-twist to'form eyes 7. In one of these eyes a link 8 is loosely connected to which a looped strap 9 is secured, the loop end of the strap being made fast by a rivet or otherwise to a supporting or suspension-band 10. The opposite end of the supporting-band has secured thereto a snap-hook 11, which therefore removably engages with the' eye 8 of the opposite-bail 7.

This suspension-band is preferably padded as shown so as to give comfort to the wearer.

. Secured to the opposite lower corners of the bag 1 is a pair of leather straps 12, which are perforated at their lower free ends and engage with the lower ends of a pair of rods 13. These rods 13 are passed throughguide-eyes 14 secured to the straps applied to the opposite sides of the'bag, and above the guideeyes said rods are bent to form coiled springs this is the position of the device when in the act of picking fruit, the fruit being picked or gathered by the operator, which latter carries the bag slung upon his shoulder, is dropped into the open mouth of the bag and is prevented from being bruised bythe padded bottom or back wall, which becomes the bottom when the bag is folded so as to close its lower end. The gathering-operation is continued until the bag is filled and until it is desired to dump the same, whereupon the operator while standing over a suitable receptacle or point at which the fruit is to be dumped clevates the rods, so as to disengage the hooks from the eyes and liberates the same, the

weight of the fruit acting to open or unfold the lower end of the bag, the rods sliding through the guide-rings and supported thereby, and the fruit passing from the open bottom of the bag into the receptacle, all as will be obvious.

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, but hold that I may vary the same to any degree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof..

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a'very simple and convenient bag to be carried by'a fruit IOC ' gatherer or picker, and which may be readily dumped without steeping, and the contents thereof discharged into the awaiting receptacle, and furthermore that the lower end of the bag may be reclosed by simply re-elevatmg the rods and engaging their upper hook ends with the aforesaid eyes. It will be seen that the coiled portions of the rods serve to yieldingly support the bottom, which together with the fact that the bottom is padded, i11- sures a soft support for the fruit, which does not become bruised.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a fruit gatherer, the combination of a bag open at the top and bottom and having its lower end folded upward to close the bottom, and yielding connections between the upturned end of the bag and the body thereof, whereby an elastic or cushioned bottom is provided, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit gatherer, the combination of a bag open at both ends and having its lower end turned up to close the bottom, and the parallel resilient suspension rods secured to the lower opposite corners of the bag and detachably connecting the upturned end of the bag with the body thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a bag open at its opposite ends, of a rectangular frame secured to the upper end of the bag, and yielding suspension devices secured to the lower opposite corners of the bag, shorter than the bag, and adapted to removably engage with said frame, substantially as specified.

4. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a bag open at its opposite ends, of a frame secured to the'upper end of the bag, apairof suspension-rods shorter than the bag and secured to the lower opposite corners of the bag and having their upper ends coiled to form springs and terminating in hooks for engag ing the frame, substantially as specified.

5. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with the bag open at its opposite ends, and'guideeyes secured to the opposite sides of the bag, of a frame secured to the upper end of the bag, straps secured to the lower corners of the bag, and yielding rods secured to the straps, passed through the guide-eyes, and removably engaging the frame, and shorter than the bag, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN K. WOODWARD.

\Vitnesses:

JANE WooDwARD, W. H. FLETCHER. 

